MADISON – Rep. Sondy Pope (D-Mount Horeb) offered the Democratic Weekly Radio Address Thursday on the new school year and the same old Republican tricks:

"On Tuesday, students across Wisconsin will pack their backpacks and head back to the classroom. Yet, we still don’t have a finalized state budget," Rep. Pope said. "Wisconsin has a proud tradition of quality public education. We need to make sure our kids have the tools they need to succeed as the future workforce of our state."

The audio file of this week’s address can be found here, and the video can be found here or below.

A written transcript of the address is below:

"Hi, I’m Representative Sondy Pope, ranking Democrat on the Assembly Committee on Education, with this week’s Democratic radio address.

"On Tuesday, students across Wisconsin will pack their backpacks and head back to the classroom. Yet, we still don’t have a finalized state budget. That means school districts across our state are left in the lurch, unsure about how much money they have to provide quality education for our children.

"That is why I was surprised this week when the Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee advanced a funding option for Wisconsin schools that still doesn’t make up for the mistakes of the past. Today, we’re still $1 billion dollars short of where we should be. Not a single proposal from Republicans would fill that hole.

"Wisconsin has a proud tradition of quality public education. We need to make sure our kids have the tools they need to succeed as the future workforce of our state.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/public-hearing-empty-s5.jpgAt a recent public hearing, ideological groups push a de-licensing plan for state professionals in an all-to-common process of speed and secrecy. Notice was posted late Friday for a meeting the following Thursday to discuss public safety as well as erosion of wages and workers’ rights.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/drugaddicts-young-s5.jpgState Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) is calling on the Wisconsin and U.S. Attorneys General to stand up for taxpayers by holding big drug companies accountable for their role in the opioid crisis.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/constitutional-convention-s5.jpgOur founders saw public education as basic to cultivating the moral and civic virtues needed for people to exercise their rights and duties as citizens. But over the years, this mission has been lost, putting democracy itself at risk.